Month: September 2019

Almost 30 organisations, including Amazon, Expedia (pictured), and L’Oreal USA, have agreed to the US government’s Equal Pay Pledge in a bid to reduce the gender pay gap across the country.In total, 28 private sector organisations have committed to the Equal Pay Pledge, which was announced by the White House at the United State of Women Summit. Organisations such as Airbnb, Pinterest, and Spotify are among those who have signed the pledge.Other organisations who have committed to the pledge include Accenture, American Airlines, BCG, Buffer, Care.com, CEB, Cisco, Gap Inc, Glassdoor, GoDaddy, Jet.com, Johnson and Johnson, PepsiCo, Popcorn Heaven, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Rebecca Minkoff, Salesforce, Staples and Stella McCartney.Frédéric Rozé, chief executive officer at L’Oréal Americas, said: “L’Oréal USA is a steadfast supporter of gender balance in the workplace and we are proud to stand with other [organisations], at the United State of Women [Summit], who have chosen to make pay equity a priority.“L’Oréal believes that a diversified and fulfilled workforce will only strengthen our creativity, allowing us to understand our consumers better and enable us to develop the most innovative products for them.”read more

Just over a third (36%) of employer respondents say that workplace pensions are the most valued employee benefit, according to research by Hargreaves Lansdown.Its Workplace benefits: the employer view report, which surveyed 349 UK employers, also found that 15% who rank private medical insurance as the most valuable, while 12% cite additional holiday entitlement as the most valuable employee benefit.The research also found:More than two-fifths (44%) of employer respondents believe that season ticket loans are the most valuable financial employee benefit, while 43% of respondents rank payroll giving as the most valuable financial employee benefit, compared to a share option scheme (17%), and a sharesave scheme (9%).70% of respondents believe an employee assistance programme (EAP) is the most valuable health and wellbeing benefit, 52% cite employee health screening as the most valuable health benefit for staff, 44% rank a health cash plan as the most valuable health-related benefit, and 42% state dental insurance is the most valuable health and wellbeing benefit. Less than a quarter (13%) view cancer screening as the most valuable health and wellbeing benefit.91% of respondents believe that life insurance is the most valuable protection benefit.54% of respondents define group income protection as the most valuable protection benefit.36% of respondents view critical illness insurance as the most valuable protection benefit, compared to personal travel insurance (24%), personal accident insurance (17%), and critical illness insurance for a spouse (13%).62% of respondents offer above statutory holiday entitlement, 34% allow staff to buy additional holiday, and 22% enable holiday selling.90% of respondents offer childcare vouchers as an employee benefit, 69% provide a bikes-for-work scheme, 62% offer additional holiday entitlement, 37% provide access to a company car, and 35% offer an off-site gym membership.48% of respondents will not be introducing any new financial benefits in the next 12 months, while 50% will not be providing any new health and wellbeing benefits next year, 58% will not be adding to their protection benefits in 2018, and 42% will not be increasing their leisure and lifestyle benefits offering in the next 12 months.6% of respondents feel that total reward statements are a very valuable employee retention tool.36% of respondents have not reviewed their core benefits offering in more than two years.61% of respondents introduce new benefits once the popularity of these has been proven at other organisations.Nathan Long, head of workplace research at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “For employers, a tailored benefits package means employers are better equipped to recruit, reward and retain the very best staff.“Everyone is different. So when creating or reviewing a benefits package, employers must consider the different needs of their workforce.”read more

More than a third (38%) of respondents who have chosen to opt out of their workplace pension did so because they cannot afford to have the pension contributions taken from their monthly pay, according to research by Now: Pensions.Its survey of 1,552 UK employees with pre-tax personal incomes of more than £10,000, also found that 23% of respondents save into their workplace pension because they feel their employer’s contribution is too valuable to lose out on.The research also found:24% of respondents who have opted out of their workplace pension did so because the contributions paid are too small and 19% opted out of their workplace pension because they do not trust pensions.48% of respondents wish they had a better understanding of workplace pensions and 51% would have liked the opportunity to save into their workplace pension earlier.64% of respondents who save into a workplace pension are aware of the changes to the minimum auto-enrolment contribution rates.84% of respondents who save into a workplace pension will continue to save in this way after the minimum auto-enrolment contribution rates have increased.60% of respondents believe it is important to save into a pension for a more secure future.Troy Clutterbuck (pictured), interim chief executive officer at Now: Pensions, said: “Auto-enrolment has been a huge success with over a million employers signing up over nine million employees into a workplace pension since 2012.“Pension saving is fast becoming the new normal and the vast majority are happy to pay in a little bit more each month, safe in the knowledge their employer will be doing the same.”read more

WEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) – The driver of a tanker truck lost control of his vehicle and slammed into several parked cars at a business complex in West Miami-Dade, officials said.Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to the scene of the accident in the area of Northwest 107th Avenue and Seventh Street, Tuesday evening. The truck was carrying around 8,000 gallons of diesel fuel and gas.Skyforce HD hovered above the scene that showed tire tracks leading to the truck under some palm trees. The vehicle knocked over a fence and a fire hydrant before smashing into at least four parked cars.No one was hurt.Police shut down two lanes of Northwest 107th Avenue.Officials said there were no leaks.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.read more

Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) – Two caretakers accused to taking advantage of an elderly woman are now in a Fort Lauderdale jail.Fort Lauderdale Police believe caretakers Angella Morrison and AnnaKay Johnson used their position to obtain wealth from a patient under their care.According to officials, the duo gained the trust of the elderly victim while caring for her and received large bonus checks. When the victim passed away in March 2016, police said the subjects withdrew more than $1 million, deflating her bank account.Morrison and Johnson also stole nearly 50 pieces of the victim’s jewelry and pawned it, police said.They were placed in police custody on Saturday.Officials believe there could be other victims out there.If you have any information or think you might have been victimized by the duo, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $3,000 reward. read more

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) – A JetBlue plane was forced to make an emergency landing after the plane’s windshield shattered during a flight.The flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico was supposed to land in Tampa, but had to land at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport instead.A flight attendant took to the intercom to let passengers know what was happening. “It happens, I wouldn’t say frequently, but I have had this happen before.”JetBlue issued a statement that reads “JetBlue flight 1052 from San Juan to Tampa diverted to Fort Lauderdale in an abundance of caution, following a report of damage to one of the outer layers of the cockpit windscreen. The flight landed safely at approximately 1:00 p.m. local time. Customers have been accommodated on another aircraft.”Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.read more

MIAMI (WSVN) – Rescue crews took a woman to the hospital after, officials said, she was struck in Miami by a driver who fled the scene.City of Miami Police and Fire Rescue units responded to the scene near Northwest 79th Street and Seventh Avenue, Monday, at around 5:10 p.m.Paramedics transported the victim to Jackson Memorial Hospital with minor injuries.Police do not have the description of that car at this time.If you have any information on this hit-and-run, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $1,000 reward.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.read more

MIAMI (WSVN) – Police are searching for two cars which they believe may be connected to recent paintball attacks in Miami.Officers are currently searching for a newer model gray or silver four-door Mercedes-Benz with dark tinted windows.Investigators are also searching for a white Nissan. The make and model is not yet known.Detectives believe two cars like these were used in the drive-by paintball attacks.A total of six attacks have been reported in the last week. However, it is not clear if they’re all connected.If you have any information on these vehicles, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $1,000 reward.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.read more

(WSVN) – Experts are urging Facebook users to watch out for a hoax message that is making rounds on the social media site.Some users are being duped into thinking that their accounts have been cloned due to a viral message that says the sender got a duplicate friend request from the recipient.The message then tells the receiver to forward it to their friends.This prompts everyone else who receives it to believe their accounts may have also been cloned.Experts urge people who get these messages to just delete them.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.read more

Where Stock Saves For Billboard’s reviews and “Happening Now” sections, Klenert says, the magazine can rely on press shots. And because the magazine often covers artists well before other magazines—while musicians are in the studio, for example—Klenert can get shots that haven’t saturated the market. (For a recent issue, Billboard even used a stock image on a cover, albeit an arresting shot of hip-hop artist Lil’ Wayne.) In some cases, Klenert says, he works with the artists’ own photographers to craft their press shots, which Billboard will eventually use. Klenert isn’t afraid to use an illustrator when recent press shots aren’t available—a small but significant area of savings when the alternatives include expensive agency shots.Klenert recommends developing a working relationship with a small group of photographers and/or illustrators who are apt to cut deals in exchange for frequency. “You get to know each other really well,” says Klenert. “They know what you want, and that saves you time and money in the long run.” It’s also beneficial to give photographers and illustrators as much time in advance so they don’t have as many expenses—savings that will eventually come back to the magazine. Tricks of the TradeAnother trick to saving on illustrations, Klenert says, is to pick something in the illustrator’s existing collection which will require little or no tweaking. “You’ll get an original illustration at a stock price.”Some cost-saving tactics Klenert uses are specific to the entertainment world, but can be applied elsewhere. “Certain artists have stylists that would be way out of our league,” Klenert says. “So when they come along to a shoot, the stylists are usually covered by [the artist] personally.” But Billboard will sometimes credit the location of the shoot in exchange for use of the space, generating more money saved.Ingenuity—and cost-savings—in design can come from places you might not expect.“I’ve been laying stuff on my flatbed scanner for years,” says Jamie Stark, principal, of Stark Designs. “Not just flat art, but things like coins, matches, leaves, keys, sugar packets—anything that is somewhat flat. It’s a great way to produce backgrounds.“I design a trade publication with no art budget so I do a lot of stuff to get art free or cheap,” Stark adds. “I designed an article about candy sales and laid Lifesavers, sour balls and M&Ms on the scanner.” Design budgets aren’t immune from the cost-cutting going on in the magazine industry. But that doesn’t mean magazines must return to a gray, drab look.What it means is that art directors and designers have to be innovative, budget-conscious and, most importantly, plan ahead. “We can’t just throw money around,” says Josh Klenert, creative director at Billboard. “We don’t have huge budgets. We work in advance as much as possible.” Bill Bridgeforth, former creative director at Apprise Media’s Beckett Publications and principal of his own design firm, agrees. “I think cliché answers—hiring young and cheap, cutting costs on paper, using stock photography and Photoshop only end up hurting the final product,” says Bridgeforth. “Getting a handle on time management is a tangible way to get things done cheaper without compromising the quality of the publication.”He says some of the “more mundane” design problems can be solved with tech savvy and ingenuity. For example, Bridgeforth was able to use some scripting capabilities within InDesign to automate the biography capsules in a magazine and media guide for the U.S. Olympic Baseball Team. “We were under a tight deadline and needed to be able to produce an insert as soon as the final roster was announced for the Beijing Games,” he says. “I set it up beforehand and was able to automate most of the process without doing any typesetting by hand.” This type of solution ends up affording you more time to “pick your spots” and spend time doing work on the pieces that really need it.read more

After a year-and-a-half stint as EVP of consumer marketing at the Magazine Publishers of America, Jeremy Koch is leaving the association to rejoin a Web startup he founded five years ago, the MPA announced.Ken Godshall, currently SVP of consumer marketing at Hearst, will befilling the position following a month-long transitional period. Kochwill remain on board long enough to kick off MPA’s Retail Conference later this month.Koch founded What’s Next Mediain 2004, a Web-based resource serving boomer professionals looking fora career change. The project had been on hiatus while Koch was at theMPA, though his partners were still working on R&D and recentlyclosed a new round of capital, MPA CEO Nina Link wrote in a memo tostaff. “Jeremy and I have been in discussions for some time about hisinterest in rejoining What’s Next, and we have agreed that now is theright time to make the transition,” Link wrote.read more

In addition to owning several radio stations, Emmis publishes seven magazines, including Texas Monthly, Los Angeles and Atlanta. In 2006, Smulyan proposed to acquire the outstanding publicly held shares of Emmis for $15.25 per share in cash. He withdrew that offer after an agreement with the board of directors could not be reached.Emmis’ stock last traded Tuesday at $2.14 per share. One month after entering into a letter of intent to purchase Indianapolis-based regional magazine publisher and radio broadcaster Emmis Corporation, chairman and CEO Jeff Smulyan has signed a definitive agreement to legally merge the company with his firm JS Acquisition and take it private. The agreement was approved by Emmis’ board of directors on Tuesday.Under the terms of the deal, JS Acquisition will effectively purchase all of Emmis’ roughly 37.6 million outstanding shares of Class A common stock for $2.40 per share—or approximately $90.2 million. It also includes an offer to exchange senior subordinated notes for Emmis’s preferred stock.The deal, which still requires stockholder approval, is being financed by an affiliate of equity partner Alden Global Capital, which currently owns holds more than 40 percent of Emmis’ preferred stock. read more

Apple’s App Store remains the largest but the Google Android Marketplace should match it in size by the end of July, while Blackberry App World will double in size within a six-month period according to new research from Distimo. Android far exceeds Apple in free applications (58 percent of the 50 most popular publishers have already developed applications for non-Apple platforms) but has barely one-third the total number of paid apps that are available in the Apple App Store. Daily downloads in the top 100 overall paid and free applications for iPad exceed 500,000, while daily revenue in the top 100 paid is approximately $400,000, excluding in-app purchases. In March, Google introduced in-app billing for Android but developers for Google are still finding more of a challenge with a one-off monetization model than those in the Apple App store, according to Distemo. “We found that only two paid applications have ben downloaded more than half a million times in the Google Android Market worldwide to date, while six paid applications in the Apple App Store for iPhone generate the same number of downloads within a two-month timeframe in the United States alone,” according to the report. Apple gains even more ground when it comes to actual usage. Only 96 Android apps have been downloaded more than 5 million times, with Google Maps (which is often automatically downloaded with updates) being the most popular at 50 million downloads. According to the study, the majority of free Android applications have been downloaded less than 1,000 times. And while 94 distinct applications reached a top 10 (paid or free) position in the Apple App Store for iPhone in the U.S. by April 2011, just 26 distinct applications have made the top 10 in the Google Android Market. Popular Science was one of the first magazine brands to embrace both the Apple and Google subscription plans. “From an operations point of view, [Google] sounds like more familiar territory to us in terms of the way we market,” Bonnier consumer marketing director Bob Cohn told FOLIO: at the time. “The big question is consumer adoption. Are consumers going to buy that tablet? The advantage of the Apple process is it’s seamless once you set up an Apple account on iTunes. The disadvantage up until now has been that we didn’t have any information on that purchaser-we don’t know how many are repeats, how many are trying it once and not liking it. With Google, we’ll theoretically be able to obtain all that information. But if they don’t sell many units, it doesn’t matter.”read more

On the heels of its seventh anniversary and its first Pulitzer Prize, Huffington Post is breaking into the digital magazine business. On April 24, Huffington Post will debut the weekly Huffington, the Huffington Post Magazine for the iPad. Along with Huffington herself, HuffPo executive editor Tim O’Brien will lead the effort. The new product is designed to showcase top stories in a format that’s days long rather than hours. “If we publish a story on a Wednesday, it may hold a top space on the site for a couple of hours; if we’re not splashing it and keeping it at the top of the page, it’s going to cycle right off the front, and it’s going to be harder for readers to find,” says O’Brien. “This is a place where we can silo our best work and give it longer legs.” Huffington Post typically publishes 360 pieces daily, with 60 to 70 stories including original reporting. A weekly cycle for Huffington was decided upon due to the amount of work produced each week, and “it is a cycle that gives us more traction with readers,” says O’Brien. The publication already has apps for Apple and Android platforms, in addition to specialty apps like the recently announced GPS for the Soul. Huffington editorial staff is culled from HuffPo’s existing newsroom, but additional designers and a dedicated photo editor were brought on to help with the magazine’s launch. Designing for Success The magazine, which will be published as an app for the iPad, is divided into three segments. O’Brien says the front of the book “will bring readers up to speed on the news of the week for the cocktail party on Saturday night.” The section will showcase infographics, Q&A’s and primers on the week’s events. The middle of the book acts as a feature well, home to two to three features running from 4,000 to 8,000 words each. Huffington closes with book, film and music reviews: “Fun, distinct features that we will include only in the magazine,” says O’Brien.He describes HuffPo’s readers as similar to The New York Times’ audience demographic (where O’Brien previously acted as Sunday Business editor). “We have a younger audience, but relatively high income, college educated, urban coastal, politically aware, socially engaged,” says O’Brien. “I think there is a big population on the website who wants a more sober, sophisticated, leisurely reading experience than you have on the Web. In our view, it’s distilling the best of what we have for the most discerning portion of our existing audience.”The App Advantage“I’m excited about having a vehicle that we can take our work every week, the additional reporting and the blogs, and put it in a distinct setting, because there is so much going on the site already,” Huffington tells FOLIO:. Like its website counterpart, the magazine will integrate user comments into every article. Also similar to the website, comments will be moderated by both humans and algorithms, “This was part of our DNA from day one. We wanted to eliminate the worst habits of the Internet: trolls, ad hominem attacks. At the beginning, we moderated through all human pre-moderation. Last month, we had seven million comments, so to have only people moderate would have been prohibitive financially. About 30 humans supplement the technology,” says Huffington.Huffington’s content will pay tribute to commenters through an in-book section called “Quoted,” featuring the “shrewdest or interesting comments from the site,” says Josh Klenert, who leads the magazine design team. Promotion for the app will coincide with its launch, and already several advertisers are on board with full-page ads for Huffington. Reports have indicated the app will be free, but as of last week, a specific model—paid or free—had not yet been determined, says O’Brien. He also declined to share advertising partners. However, regardless of pricing, Huffington is slated to appear on Apple’s Newsstand. “We didn’t want to overwhelm the reader with a lot of bells and whistles that tend to be distracting. From a design point of view, I didn’t want my creativity to block people from reading. The magazine is easy to navigate, has very clear pages and utilizes the retina display on the iPad,” says Klenert. “We’ll have the table stake features and functionalities like video, audio and sharing, but I don’t think we are going to hit people over the head with that. We also want this to be a light-loading app.”O’Brien illustrates why Huffington was built as a native app (constructed by AOL’s technology staff), as opposed to a Web-based HTML5 experience. “You can do a lot of one-stop design with HTML5, but it certainly doesn’t give you all of the functionality and design capabilities an app does,” says O’Brien. “This is a software-centric product, because it is allowing us to do beautiful and innovative things; a portion of which I don’t think we would be able to do with HTML5.”Klenert adds, “HTML5 puts a lot of resources on the devices to render, and slows it down. And we certainly don’t want to overheat people’s iPads because we’re making the device do all the work. But, we do want to create fluid layouts that we can adapt over different platforms as need be.”After six months of development, Huffington is a direct product of “New York editorial and Palo Alto technology,” says O’Brien. “If you go back to how we positioned the Huffington Post almost seven years ago, it was the best of the old and the best of the new. Huffington embraces the best of traditional journalism (story telling, in-depth investigation, design and photography), and integrates it into all that technology has made possible,” says Huffington.read more

Dan Cohen AUTHOR For the first time in six years, the Defense Department is not asking lawmakers for permission to launch a new round of base closures as part of its annual budget request. The move comes as Congress has vociferously rejected past requests for a host of reasons, including the 2005 round’s failure to meet its cost and savings estimates and concerns that DOD’s studies of excess capacity don’t account for the need to expand the military’s force structure. “We’ve asked for it a number of times in the past without much success,” Comptroller David Norquist said at the Pentagon’s budget briefing Monday.Instead of pursuing a BRAC round, he said officials would follow two other alternatives. “One is working with Congress to find common areas where we can make reforms and changes that don’t create the same types of obstacles,” Norquist said. Secondly, the department is undergoing an audit of its financial statement that includes a look at real property and an effort to improve the accuracy of the data behind it.“And there is a view of being able to take advantage of the data coming out of that process to help us make better decision-making on real property,” he said.Norquist did not mention, however, a bullet point on one of his presentation’s slides which stressed the need for the department to shed unneeded capacity. “[The FY 2019 budget request] concentrates efforts on ensuring the basing infrastructure is ideally sized to increase the lethality of U.S. forces while minimizing the cost of maintaining unneeded capacity, which diverts resources from critical readiness and modernization requirements,” it stated.DoD Photo by Glenn Fawcettread more

News What To Watch For At The 2017 Loudwire Music Awards 2017 Loudwire Music Awards To Rock L.A. what-watch-2017-loudwire-music-awards Facebook The show will include performances by Avenged Sevenfold, Halestorm, Anthrax, Dave Mustaine, Rob Halford, Lita Ford, Body Count, and many more, as well as live appearances by Zakk Wylde, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith, Steve Vai, Aerosmith’s Joey Kramer, and former Pantera members Vinnie Paul and Rex Brown. Fozzy frontman and WWE wrestler Chris Jericho will host the ceremonies.Loudwire will also honor three GRAMMY-winning rock legends: Rob Halford of Judas Priest will receive the “Lemmy” Lifetime Achievement Award; Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath will be honored with the Courage Award and Sammy Hagar will be celebrated with the Humanitarian Award. Additional winners in various hard rock and metal categories will be announced based on voting by Loudwire’s readers.Can’t make it to the festivities in Los Angeles? Thanks to a partnership between AXS TV and WWE, all the action from Los Angeles will be simultaneously live-streamed online via Loudwire’s Facebook page and WWE’s Facebook page.Also happening on Oct. 24, before the Loudwire Music Awards, a series of panels will take place at the GRAMMY Museum at L.A. Live as part of the Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Summit. These discussions will feature a variety of topics, including the future of streaming, surviving the music industry and a live taping of “Wikipedia: Fact Or Fiction” with Halford and Hagar.Admission to the Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Summit is free and open to the public, with seating available on a first-come, first served basis. Tickets for the 2017 Loudwire Music Awards at Los Angeles’ The Novo by Microsoft are still available via AXS’ website.Read More: Judas Priest Announce 2018 Concert Tour DatesRead more Email Rock’s finest will be honored in Los Angeles on Oct. 24 at the 2017 Loudwire Music Awards, and you can watch from anywhereNate HertweckGRAMMYs Oct 23, 2017 – 5:10 pm Hard rock royalty and heavy metal masters will gather in Los Angeles on Oct. 24 for the 2017 Loudwire Music Awards. NETWORK ERRORCannot Contact ServerRELOAD YOUR SCREEN OR TRY SELECTING A DIFFERENT VIDEO Dec 2, 2014 – 10:58 pm Black Sabbath: Tony Iommi’s Riffs Inspire Songwriting Twitter read more

CAMBRIDGE, MA — A quarter of a million dollar federal grant will help the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office enhance continuity of care for inmates with mental health and substance use disorders following the completion of their sentences, Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian and Congressman Michael Capuano (MA-07) announced this week.The MSO will utilize a $244,373 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP): Implementation and Expansion grant to partner with Advocates, a leading nonprofit provider of health and social services from central to eastern Massachusetts, to construct and execute a re-entry project assisting up to 60 individuals with mental health and co-occurring substance use disorders. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Governance Lab (MIT GOV/LAB) will serve as a research collaborator to evaluate the pilot project.“The primary underlying drivers of incarceration for those in Middlesex County – as they are nationwide – are mental health and substance use disorders,” said Sheriff Koutoujian. “This grant will help us work with community and academic collaborators to craft, implement and manage an initiative creating greater continuity of care for those leaving our custody. This will include individually-tailored re-entry plans, evidence-based interventions and other services supported by a navigator.”In calendar year 2017, 48 percent of all individuals entering the Middlesex Jail & House of Correction reported a history of mental illness, while 41 percent required medical detox. A series of one-day snapshots conducted the prior year (2016) showed that 76 percent of those prescribed psychiatric medications also had a co-occurring substance use disorder.“This is exactly the type of care initiative that should be implemented,” said Congressman Capuano. “Simply releasing individuals with known mental health and substance use issues from prison without giving them access to supportive services makes re-entry for them more difficult. It increases the likelihood that they will fail and return to prison. I applaud Sheriff Koutoujian, Advocates and the MIT GOV/LAB for forming this partnership and focusing on evidence-based rehabilitation and re-entry strategies.”“Many people released from jail have serious mental health and substance use challenges – and often few resources and supports. Our re-entry services address the numerous needs that people have when they return to the community, and we are committed to working closely with the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office to replicate our community justice re-entry model and help improve the health and safety of Middlesex County,” said Diane Gould, president and CEO of Advocates.“Better understanding the link between improved re-entry services and recidivism rates could be an important contribution to building trust between communities and government, as well as improved outcomes for those in the criminal justice system,” said Daniel Hidalgo, Professor of Political Science and MIT GOV/LAB Faculty Associate.Originally authorized by Congress in 2004, the JMHCP seeks to increase public safety by facilitating collaboration among the criminal justice and mental health and substance use treatment systems to increase access to mental health and other treatment services for individuals with mental illnesses or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. The grant program is administered by the U.S. Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance.(NOTE: The above press release is from the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office.)Like Wilmington Apple on Facebook. Follow Wilmington Apple on Twitter. Follow Wilmington Apple on Instagram. Subscribe to Wilmington Apple’s daily email newsletter HERE. Got a comment, question, photo, press release, or news tip? Email wilmingtonapple@gmail.com.Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading… RelatedMiddlesex Sheriff’s Office Announces Gambling Survey ResultsIn “Police Log”Middlesex County Named Data-Driven Justice Project Pilot SiteIn “Government”Middlesex Sheriff Holds Meeting To Discuss New Data-Driven Justice InitiativeIn “Government”read more

WILMINGTON, MA — Joan E. Dineen (McMaster), age 80, of Wilmington, passed away on August 3, 2018, at Peregrine Senior Living in Tewksbury.Joan was born on October 25, 1937, in Malden, MA; she was the dear daughter of the late Henry and Margaret McMaster. Joan was raised and educated in Medford, MA and a graduate of Medford High School with the Class of 1955.While skating with friends at the Bal-a-Roue skating rink in Medford on April 23, 1952, Joan met a dashing young man, John Dineen; it was love at first sight. The two skated together and she agreed to give him her phone number. He called the next day and the rest is history.While John was on a 30-day leave from the Air Force Joan and John were married on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 1955. Joan and John spent 66 wonderful years together and made countless memories that will be treasured.After John was discharged from the Air Force they lived in Medford for several months with Joan’s family before buying their dream home in Wilmington in 1967 where they raised two wonderful sons Paul and Steve. Joan was a very devoted and loving mother; she loved to watch “her boys” as they played hockey, little league baseball, or whatever other sport they were involved in. Joan enjoyed family gatherings, barbeques, vacations or just getting together with her family and friends.Joan was also a very hard worker; she started as a data entry operator but throughout the years she became very knowledgeable with computers. Joan was for the most part self-taught and was very ahead of her time in the computer industry; she was extremely approachable and helpful with others in the field; Joan always knew how to find a solution to a problem. Joan worked for the Hewlett Packard Company as a consultant for many years; she was a very dedicated and faithful employee. Joan was never afraid to try something new and share it with others. Joan was one of the first to do computer illustration and became quite good at it. Joan had her own computer illustration business, which she was very successful at.Joan will be remembered as quite a lady; she was beautiful inside and out, smart, helpful, kind and willing to go out of her way to help others. Joan showered her family and friends with unconditional love and she will forever be in their hearts.Joan was the beloved wife of John J. Dineen, devoted mother of Paul Dineen & his wife Jennifer of Fort Morgan, CO and Steve Dineen & his wife Stacie of Wilmington, Loving grandmother of Sam Dineen. Cherished daughter of the late Henry and Margaret (Powers) McMaster, dear sister of Pauline “Polly” Salter of Medford, the late Robert, Lorraine, John “Jack”, and Larry McMaster. Joan is also survived by many nieces and nephews.Family and friends will gather at the Nichols Funeral Home, 187 Middlesex Ave. (Rte. 62), Wilmington, on Saturday, August 18th for Visitation from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. immediately followed by a Service at 12:30 p.m. Interment will follow in Wildwood Cemetery, Wilmington.In lieu of flowers donations in Joan’s memory may be made to Peregrine Senior Living, Memory Unit, 2580 Main St., Tewksbury, MA 01876 – which provided the great care that Joan required or to the Alzheimer’s Association at http://www.alz.org.Joan E. (McMaster) Dineen(NOTE: The above obituary is from Nichols Funeral Home.)Like Wilmington Apple on Facebook. Follow Wilmington Apple on Twitter. Follow Wilmington Apple on Instagram. Subscribe to Wilmington Apple’s daily email newsletter HERE. Got a comment, question, photo, press release, or news tip? Email wilmingtonapple@gmail.com.Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading… RelatedOBITUARY: Joan E. Paolucci, 78In “Obituaries”OBITUARY: Joan Forte-Jack, 89In “Obituaries”OBITUARY: John “Jack” Tannian, Jr., 89In “Obituaries”read more

WILMINGTON, MA — Here are highlights from the Wilmington Police Log for Wednesday, August 22, 2018:An employee at Cumberland Farms stated there is a pick-up truck parked sideways by the air pumps for the past two hours with its engine running. Police responded. Party was sleeping in the vehicle after work and is heading home. (2:22am)A group of juveniles ran when approached by a cruiser on Kenwood Avenue. One juvenile stayed behind and relayed that they were staying a nearby home. Police went to home to speak to an adult to alert them to the fact that the kids were out at 3am. (3:17am)A Harold Avenue caller reported that every morning at 5:30am for the past couple of weeks, a motorcycle with a loud exhaust races into Wilmington on Route 129 from Billerica, waking her 1 year-old child. She is requesting traffic enforcement during that time. (5:41am)Animal Control Officer advised 2 dog owners of bylaw and removed them from grassy area of Town Beach. (1:14pm)A caller reported a tree fell across the roadway on Nottingham Drive. Police notified Tree Department. (5:31pm)A caller reported a large fallen tree was blocking the road on Federal Street. Police notified Tree Department. (11:26pm)(DISCLAIMER: This information is public information. An arrest does not constitute a conviction. Any arrested person is innocent until proven guilty.)Like Wilmington Apple on Facebook. Follow Wilmington Apple on Twitter. Follow Wilmington Apple on Instagram. Subscribe to Wilmington Apple’s daily email newsletter HERE. Got a comment, question, photo, press release, or news tip? Email wilmingtonapple@gmail.com.Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading… RelatedPOLICE LOG for August 21: Driver Issued Summons; Solicitors Going Door To Door Without Required PermitIn “Police Log”POLICE LOG for August 24: Motorcycle Crash; Package Stolen; Speeding on Shawsheen Ave.In “Police Log”POLICE LOG for August 18: 2 Vehicles With Same License Plate; Statue Missing From Wildwood CemeteryIn “Police Log”read more

WILMINGTON, MA — Priscilla G. Farnsworth (Levy), age 79, of Wilmington, formerly of Melrose, passed away unexpectedly on August 31, 2018, which would have been her 55th wedding anniversary.Priscilla was born on September 14, 1938; she was the cherished daughter of the late William and Mildred Levy. Priscilla was born, raised, and educated in Melrose and was a graduate of Melrose High School.Priscilla married the “love of her life” Everett Farnsworth on August 31, 1963; the couple lived in Burlington, MA and Brentwood, NH for the first several years of their marriage while Everett pursued his career in law enforcement. The couple then moved to Framingham, MA where they lived for many years before settling in Wilmington.Priscilla and Everett were parents to two wonderful children; Gary and Pamela and two terrific grandsons Micah and Joshua; they were her world. Priscilla was very loving and devoted to her family; she treasured the times they spent together. Priscilla enjoyed entertaining her family and friends throughout the years; she looked forward to making holidays and special occasions memorable for everyone.For many years, Priscilla, worked as an administrative assistant for the Raytheon Company. Priscilla had a terrific work ethic as well as a wonderful personality; she made may friends with her co-workers throughout the years. Following her retirement, Priscilla, helped out at the Abundant Life Christian School in Wilmington; she loved working with the children and helping out in any capacity.Priscilla also had many talents; she was an excellent seamstress and quilter who made countless beautiful gifts that were shared with family and friends. She was an avid gardener and a talented musician who loved to sing and play the piano.Priscilla will be remembered for her ability to reach out and help others in need; she was the most caring, giving, and loving person you could meet. Priscilla showered her family and friends with unconditional love and she will forever be missed by all who knew and loved her.Priscilla was the beloved wife of the late Everett C. Farnsworth, devoted mother of Gary R. Farnsworth & his wife Rozana of Union, SC and Pamela J. (Farnsworth) Ray & her husband Thomas of Wilmington. Loving “Nana” of Micah David Farnsworth and Joshua Everett Farnsworth both of California. Cherished daughter of the late William A. and Mildred B. (Fawcett) Levy, dear sister of William Levy of Falmouth and the late Irene Fuller. Priscilla is also survived by several nieces and nephews.Family and friends will gather for Visiting Hours at the Nichols Funeral Home, 187 Middlesex Ave. (Rte. 62), Wilmington, on Thursday, September 6th from 5:00-8:00 p.m.A Celebration of Priscilla’s life will take place on Saturday, September 8th at 10:00 a.m. in the Abundant Life Church, 173 Church St., Wilmington.In lieu of flowers donations in Priscilla’s memory may be made to the Abundant Life Christian School, 173 Church St., Wilmington, MA 01887.(NOTE: The above obituary is from Nichols Funeral Home.)Like Wilmington Apple on Facebook. Follow Wilmington Apple on Twitter. Follow Wilmington Apple on Instagram. Subscribe to Wilmington Apple’s daily email newsletter HERE. Got a comment, question, photo, press release, or news tip? Email wilmingtonapple@gmail.com.Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading… RelatedOBITUARY: Phyllis (Lanzilli) Catalogna, 98In “Obituaries”OBITUARY: William J. “Bill” Wolfe, 75In “Obituaries”OBITUARY: Lucille C. (Enos) Gilson, 77In “Obituaries”read more